Matrix-distributing mechanism for linotype-machines.



No. 7l6,975. Patented Doc.- 30, I902. C. A. ALBRECHT.

MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1902.) I W (No Model.) 2 Shuts-Shae! I.

M75 M W 5% [fir/WK No. 716,975. Patented Doc. 30, m2.

6. A. ALBRECHT. MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR LINUTYPE MACHINES.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1902.)

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(No Model.)

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jv/ MM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN A. ALBRECHT, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

MATRIX-DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR LINOTYPE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,975, dated December 30, 1902.

Application filed August 18,1902. Serial No. 120,136. (No model-l To [tZZ whont it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN AUGUSTUS ALBRECHT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVIatrix-Distributing Mechanisms for Linotype-Machines, of which the following is an exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in matrix-distributing mechanisms for linotypemachines, and more especially to distributing mechanisms for such machines in which several groups of matrices provided with several kinds of characters are used, and has for its purpose to provide a mechanism by means of which it is attained that the matrices can be distributed in two separate magazines situated one above or at the side of the other one, so that they can be discharged from the magazines by meansof one single keyboard. In this case a mechanism must be provided for connecting the keyboard alternately at will with one or the other magazine, so that the matrices are always discharged from that magazine to which the keyboard is connected. I attain this object by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the working parts of the distributing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of parts of the mechanism.

According to the present invention the matrices are passed to two separate distributing rails, along which rails the matrices are moved in the well-known manner by means of continuous screws until they arrive at the points at which they fall down into the proper channels of the magazine.

The characteristic feature of my invention consists in each matrix being at first pushed forward by means of a shifter, whereby it is guided along a rail leading to that distributing-rail to which the respective matrix belongs. The matrices carrying the different kinds of characters are on one side provided with recesses for guiding the same, so that according to the position of this recess the matrices pass to one or to the other distributing-rail.

In the drawings, a is the box into which the rows of matrices to be distributed are brought. At one side of this box the shifter b, movable in the vertical direction, is situated. This shifter 19 is moved upward and downward by means of an angle-lever 0, one shank of which is oscillated in any convenient wayas,for in stance, by means of a curved groove provided in one of the continuous screws for moving the matrices along the distributing-rails. On the left-hand side (when considering the drawings) two curved or angular rails d and d are fixed to the box a. To these rails dovetailed guide-rails e and e are fixed, Fig. 3. These rails lead to the endless screws f and f Between these endless screws f and f an endless screw 9 is situated, and underneath these screws endless screws g and g are provided, as may be seen from Fig. 4. Underneath the endless screws distributingchannels 71 and 1L2 are arranged, which lead the matrices to the magazine situated one above or at the side of the other one. Within the box Ct a shifter 7c is situated, which projects on both sides over the box a and which is moved by means of lovers m, pivoted at m. The levers m are oscillated at 'm in any convenient wayas,for instance,in the same way as the lever c, by means of curved grooves provided in the endless screws for moving the matrices.

The devices for moving the lovers 0 and m are not shown in the drawings, as the same do not form a part of the invention and as any convenient device may be used for this purpose.

The effect of the device is as follows: As soon as the linotype is cast the matrices by means of which the casting has been made are brought in the well-known manner into the box a to the point 0, Fig. 1. The shifter b shifts all the matrices one after the other up ward to the position in which the matrix 19 is situated in Fig. 1. In the distributing mechanisms hitherto used the matrix 19 was moved forward from this positiondirectly by means of the endless screws. This cannot be done in the apparatus forming the object of the present invention, as the respective matrix must be brought at first to that distributingrail q or g which leads to that magazine to which the respective matrix belongs. In order to effect this, ashifter 7a is provided which moves the matrix 19 as soon as it arrives in the position shown in Fig. 1 forward. During this forward movement the dovetailed recess 1", provided either at the left-hand side, as shown in Fig. 5, or at the right-hand side, as shown in Fig. 6, of the matrix, is guided along one of the dovetailed guide-rails e or e fixed to the rails d and d It will be understood that the shifter 70 moves always straightly forward and the matrix p will move either along the rail 6 or along the rail e according to whether the dovetailed recess a" of the same is situated at the right-hand or at the left-hand side. If this recess is situated at the righthand side, it will in the matrix being pushed straightly forward engage with the guide-rail e, situated at the right-hand side of the machine. In this case on the left-hand side of the matrix a cut-out is provided, which does not engage with the guide-rail. If, however, the dovetailed cut-out is provided at the lefthand side, the matrix in being pushed straightly forward by means of the shifter 70 will be guided along the left-hand guide-rail e as the dovetailed cut-out a" engages with this guide-rail 6 while on the other side a cut-out is provided which allows the guiderail 6 to pass through the same without guiding the matrix-that is to say, this cut-out is not dovetailed, as may be seen from the drawings. As shown in dotted lines in Fig.

2 in connection with the matrix 19, the matrices are moved along the guide-rails e or e by means of the shifter 70 until they reach the respective distributing-rail q or (1 The matrices are then carried along the distributing-rail by means of the continuous screws As soon as the in the well-known manner.

matrices arrive at their proper point of the distributing rail q or g they fall down through the channels h or 71. into their magazine. The recesses for guiding the matrices may naturally have any convenient form and may be provided at any convenient place of the matrices, the main idea consisting in the recesses, as well as the guide-rails for the same, being formed so that according to the kind of letters provided upon the matrices they are guided along the guide-rails e or eto the distributing-rails q or g Having thus fully described the nature of this invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is In distributing mechanisms for linotypemachines, the combination of a box in which the linotypes to be distributed are situated, a shifter I) provided at this box, means for moving this shifter upward and downward, a second shifter 70 situated above the matrices, means for moving this shifter backward and forward, recesses provided at difierent places of the matrices, guide-rails e and e corresponding to the recesses in the matrices, distributing-rails q and g beginning at the end of the guide-rails e and e and means for moving the matrices along the distributingrails, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRISTIAN A. ALBRECHT.

Witnesses WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HAsPER. 

